Good to Great November 2008 - Challenging Economic Times

Dear School Community Colleagues:

As you are all well aware, we are facing some challenging economic times at the local, state and national levels.  The problems in the housing and financial markets, along with the slow down in consumer spending are taking its toll on the private sector and will soon impact those of us in the public sector.  Based on the information we are receiving from our state representatives in Albany, state aid to education may face reductions not seen since the 1970’s.  Since nearly half of our funding comes from the state, this news is cause for concern.  Following a number of internal discussions, I have informed the Administrative Cabinet and Association leaders that we are implementing the following saving measures effective immediately to reduce our current levels of spending and help prepare ourselves for an uncertain future:

Freeze the use of employee overtime: exceptions must be approved by the supervisor with the knowledge of the Superintendent.

Implement a hiring freeze on all non-essential positions.

Limit future employee conference attendance to the Rochester area only; exceptions would be made for organization officers, conference presenters or if the conference costs are borne by an outside organization.

Cap the maximum number of attendees to future local conferences at three or in the case of a K-12 conference to one from each school; exceptions must be approved by the supervisor with the knowledge of the Superintendent.

Reduce remaining field trip hours by 10%.

Reduce current school and department supply and other codes by 10%.

Enforce the removal of personal appliances from classrooms and offices district-wide.

Reduce the building winter temperature by 1 degree and increase the summer temperature by the same.

Freeze spending on Technology and Library Books pending the Governor’s proposed 2009 budget announcement in December.

Implement individual school and department savings measures whenever possible.

Last year when Monroe County withheld sales tax revenue to local schools, employees in this District rose to the occasion and reduced expenditures by hundreds of thousands of dollars.  The current situation calls on me to ask you to do the same again.  Every dollar saved this school year will help us address potential revenue shortfalls in the future.  

Sincerely, Dave     

David Dimbleby, Hilton Superintendent of Schools